Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances Biofine lease amendment, hears plan to contain mill-site asbestos on site
Summary
The Lincoln Town Council moved earlier on the agenda to authorize the town manager to advance a lease amendment for Biofine’s mill-site expansion and heard a briefing that asbestos removal will be managed on-site under a DEP protocol; council accepted the authorization by voice vote.
The Lincoln Town Council moved to authorize the town manager to proceed with a lease amendment that consolidates Biofine’s planned second phase into phase one and clears the way for construction expected to start in the third quarter of the year. Council took the vote after a brief staff presentation and approved advancing the authorization.
Council was told the project would expand to roughly seven acres and bring additional tax and lease revenue to the community. Presenters said active demolition and environmental remediation are already under way at the mill site, including removal of several buildings.
On-site environmental management was the focus of the briefing. Presenters reported that PFAS testing at the site came back below detectable levels and that asbestos in the existing buildings is the primary contamination concern. According to the briefing, the town worked with the state Department of Environmental Protection to establish a permitted on-site consolidation area where asbestos-containing material will be placed and covered. Presenters said that retaining asbestos on site for controlled containment would avoid off-site transport and disposal costs and estimated savings in the low tens of millions of dollars compared with hauling material off-site for disposal.
The council asked whether the on-site containment poses health risks for residents; presenters said the containment approach minimizes airborne exposure compared with the current condition and that only asbestos from the mill site will be placed in the containment area. Council members also discussed coordination of roadway and site work tied to an existing grant and said they will continue to monitor permitting and remediation progress.
The record shows the council approved the procedural motion to allow the town manager to proceed with whatever formal authorization was required to move the lease amendment forward (voice vote recorded in the meeting). The motion did not include a dollar amount for the amendment and information on specific contract terms was described as pending coordination with Biofine and grant-funded roadway improvements.
The council did not record a separate roll-call tally for the substantive lease terms in the briefing; further contract details are expected to be presented to council as staff finalizes negotiations and permits.
